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LA drafts local product Trinkwon in seventh round

LA drafts local product Trinkwon in seventh round

The Dodgers drafted local product Brandon Trinkwon in the seventh round of the 2013 First-Year Player Draft on Friday, a shortstop from the University of California-Santa Barbara.

Trinkwon is the Gauchos' highest draft pick since 2006. He was named to the All-Big West second team this season. He led the Gauchos with 40 runs scored and 30 walks in 60 games, and ranked second with four homers, 37 RBIs and 14 extra-base hits. Trinkwon had 10 steals and put up a .280/.367/.384 slash line as a junior. He bats left and throws right.

But he's known more for his glove and had a .968 fielding percentage in 2013, including an 18-game stretch without an error. Still, he's projected to move to second base.

"He's an absolute baseball gamer," said Dodgers vice president of scouting Logan White. "He's probably more suited to play second base, but we'll give him an opportunity to play short. He handles the bat OK, but he's really a defensive guy."

The 21-year-old was a Preseason All-American by Baseball America this year.

As a sophomore in 2012, Trinkwon hit .347 with 40 walks and 22 extra-base hits. He followed that with a strong summer in the Cape Cod League, where he was an All-Star starter after hitting .301 with 33 RBIs with the Hyannis Harbor Hawks.

Trinkwon graduated from Beckman High School in nearby Tustin, Calif., in 2010.

Austin Laymance is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.